Chapter 225: Bride Of The Devil - II
[Music recommendation: Civil Twilight - Teardrop]
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With the doors opened, swelling chords of the ceremonial music drifted outward, reaching Aliana’s ears. Each note made her heartbeat pound louder against her ribs until it echoed in her ears.
Without even realising it, her fingers tightened around her father’s arm.
Alester’s warm hand settled over hers.
"Don’t be nervous, dear," he whispered gently. "Remember who’s waiting for you."
Those simple words melted away a fraction of the nervous knot inside her.
Slowly, she released the breath she had unknowingly been holding, and together, they took their first step.
One after another, their footsteps carried them towards the grand entrance until they finally came to a stop before the open doors.
The second Aliana lifted her gaze... her light grey eyes widened in awe as the breathtaking spectacle unfolded before her.
The inside of the grand hall looked like a magnificent palace of stone, glass, and nature, with a towering vaulted glass ceiling. Light filtered down from above, making the space feel hidden away from the rest of the world.
On both sides of the room, high stone arches were draped in thick green ivy and clusters of soft pink roses. Large golden chandeliers hung from the balcony levels, casting a warm amber glow through the space.
Instead of a traditional aisle, a long pool of clear emerald water ran down the centre of the hall, its surface rippling gently with floating pink petals. Two wide sets of marble stairs swept down toward the water. Their railings were wrapped in rose garlands and lined with hundreds of glowing candles.
In the middle of the room, the wedding altar stood on a raised marble platform that seemed to float right above the emerald pool. Four golden pillars supported a grand arch covered in thousands of pale pink roses and white silk draping. A beautiful crystal chandelier hung right at the center of the arch, lighting up the podium below.
Directly behind the altar, a massive waterfall spilled down from the upper levels of the mansion, emptying gracefully into the pool. The soft sound of rushing water echoed through the stone hall.
On either side of the water, round tables with white tablecloths and golden chairs were neatly arranged for the guests.
The venue was simply exquisite until her eyes found the most otherworldly sight of all.
Those mesmerising pools of blue shone so bright that they melted away all the grandeur surrounding her. Her heart, which had been beating loudly in her ears, began to calm as she continued to gaze into them.
Dressed in an impeccable, light grey double-breasted three-piece suit, his godly appearance stole her breath away.
Her feet began to move on their own, the long train of her beautiful white gown whispering behind her. With every single step she took toward Gavriel, he found himself completely enraptured.
His gaze slowly took in every single detail from head to toe.
Aliana looked as though she had stepped straight out of a dream.
She wore an exquisite ivory wedding gown that embraced her figure perfectly before flowing gracefully to the floor in delicate layers of intricate floral lace.
The sweetheart neckline rested across her shoulders, while sheer off-the-shoulder lace sleeves framed her slender arms, their scalloped cuffs adding a touch of timeless romance. Attached at her waist was a dramatic, heavy overskirt made of layers of soft white tulle. It pooled behind her into a magnificent, long train that swept across the floor, its edges finished with wide, beautiful lace embroidery.
Around her neck rested a dazzling diamond necklace that caught the warm light, paired with matching earrings that shimmered with every subtle movement.
Her blonde hair was gathered into a graceful low bun, allowing the veil to fall seamlessly from the back of her head, while a few soft strands framed her delicate features. Her makeup was minimal, accentuating her light grey eyes and natural beauty that she truly was.
Every single thing about her made him want to abduct his own bride, steal her away from everyone’s eyes, and admire her like a priceless masterpiece that belonged to him alone.
He had forgotten about how restless he had been until she finally showed up.
Now that she was finally here, he found himself irked by the thought of any other man looking at someone who belonged to him.
Without even realising it, a sliver of his darkness seeped into the air, and Cillian’s eyes subtly widened in horror.
Promptly clearing his throat from behind Gavriel, Cillian leaned in and whispered, "Hey... you might want to keep your beast on a leash."
But Gavriel wasn’t listening... not until Aliana finally ascended the stairs.
As though drawn by an invisible force, his feet moved on their own until he came to stand before her.
The moment Alester pressed a tender kiss to his daughter’s forehead before placing her hand into Gavriel’s, the darkness that had instinctively leaked from him quietened just as naturally.
Without moving his eyes away from her for even a second, Gavriel led her back to the centre of the altar, where a man dressed in a black suit stood ready to officiate the wedding.
Their gazes remained locked on one another, just as their hands remained intertwined.
As the words were spoken, Gavriel lazily brushed his thumb over her fingers, sending a delicious shiver racing down her spine and reminding her of every lingering touch he had left on her body the previous night.
A ghost of a smile tugged at his handsome face, knowing exactly what he was doing to her.
Aliana was so completely captivated by him that she didn’t even realise the vows being recited by the so-called priest never mentioned God even once.
Nor did she notice that they were unlike any wedding vows she had ever heard before.
It wasn’t until she heard the officiant ask, "Miss Aliana Vanderbilt, do you take Gavriel Valentine as your husband, in sickness and in health, until the end of time?"
That was when she blinked before softly uttering, "I do."
The officiant then turned to Gavriel and asked him the same question.
"I do," Gavriel answered in his deep, magnetic voice.
"Bring forth the rings, please."
Jade and Cillian promptly stepped forward, each carrying one of the gold wedding bands.
Gavriel gently took Aliana’s hand, the ruby ring already adorning her finger glimmering beneath the warm light, before carefully sliding the golden band into place.
But the moment the ring settled around her finger, his heart unexpectedly skipped a beat as his vision blurred for the briefest instant.
The image of Aliana’s hand overlapped with a fleeting, phantom memory of a different hand... one with nails painted blood-red.
And Gavriel froze, his fingers still wrapped around Aliana’s.
Then, without warning...
A sharp, searing pain tore through his mind.